Don't Stop Believing
by Maddeline Kirkland-Bonnefoy
Summary: - Music always had been a big part of the lives of the four friends; Evelyn makes use of it to try and Help Amara. - Rated for themes; warning(s) inside; implied Tarrant/OC.


**I am not on a roll; don't expect much more from this, since I don't know if this will even count for you... but I hope you're happy with it, Koneko. The ante has been doubled; ball's yours now.**

**Disclaimer: Not mine. Just Amara.**

**WARNING(S): Strongly implied child abuse.**

**Prompt Set #3 (Set List) - Prompt #6 - "Don't Stop Believing" by Journey. Implied Tarelyn; Evamara BFFness.**

* * *

Ice-blue eyes gazed about the courtyard, as the blonde looked for her friend. No, she wasn't looking for Mirana – the girl was speaking with their physics teacher about a test they would have the next day – nor was she searching for Tarrant, as she would have noted she was looking for her boyfriend had that been the case. So, logic – and her fear – dictated that she was looking for and worrying about Amara. The girl hadn't shown up at school at all the day before (not that Evelyn could blame her, given the day it was) and even now, as the lunch period wound down to the end, she found herself clutching Tarrant's hand so hard she feared it might break; Amara hadn't shown up yet, and Evelyn feared what might have happened.

Her fears didn't lessen at all, when the blonde in question showed up just moments before the bell. She had seen Amara in horrible conduction before, but this… the smaller blonde was glad she had been too worried and frantic to eat anything, or she was sure she would have thrown up. Her lip was split and still bleeding in a few different places, her bangs looked brown with how much blood had stuck them to her forehead, and there were bruises all up and down her arms, not hidden by the ratty, torn t-shirt she wore. Her right wrist was also bent at a strange angle, the hand looking a bit swollen. Evelyn was, for one sickening moment, only able to think two things – that she was glad the bruises covered the scars she was sure had been made by her friend herself, and that she was glad that Amara was ambidextrous, since that hand of hers looked like it wasn't going to be working for awhile.

The blonde didn't even bother to stop at their lunch table; she just headed right inside the school building, probably to get the things she needed for her afternoon classes, English and Advisory, both of which she shared with Evelyn. The ice-blue-eyed girl frowned; she was going to get to the bottom of this, and thanked her lucky stars that their last advisory period of the day was with Ms. Kelsey, so they could pass notes without getting in trouble. Sharing a kiss with her boyfriend – Tarrant wasn't in their Honors English, for some reason – and an assurance that she would figure out what was going on (she didn't want the redhead to get in trouble with the law because of his desire to protect their best friend) the smaller blonde stood and headed for class as well. All that said, she managed to get to class on time, but to be expected, she didn't get to speak with Amara until their seventh period advisory.

Though Amara tried to sit by herself, Evelyn refused to allow it, and started with their notes right away. She just kept poking the blonde, even when the emerald-eyed ignored her. Of course, they could both be stubborn as all Hell when they wanted to, hence why the older blonde gave in. She completely ignored the first note the younger had written, and instead scrawled her own note sharply, using her left hand.

_What?!_

Evelyn did her best not to flinch; even written, she could see the anger behind the word. That, however, wasn't all. She could also see the fear, the pain, and knew that Amara was just trying to protect herself. Hence her reply, as it ended up being. (Asking if she were okay would just have been stupid, not to mention insensitive.)

_What happened?_

_Why does it matter…_

_It matters because we care. Now spill, Mara; what happened?_

There was a long pause, then the older blonde finally sighed, and replied.

…_My bitch of a therapist thought it would be a good idea if I visited my brother yesterday… since it's been a year and everything…_

As soon as she registered the word 'visit,' Evelyn knew where this was going. Of course, contrary to her usual nature, she knew that hugging Amara would just have made things worse. She could piece together what had happened, and though she wished that she didn't know well enough what happened at home with her best friend, she knew that in the end at lease someone should have known. If they didn't… she was quite sure that Amara would have lost her mind. That said, she replied in the only way she knew how – rather, the only way that wouldn't make things worse, in this situation.

_Don't stop believin'  
Hold on to the feelin'  
Streetlights, people  
Don't stop believin'  
Hold on  
Streetlights, people_

And when the look Amara gave her was half annoyed, but also half desperately thankful, she knew she had done the right thing.


End file.
